Pocket book structure



June 24, 1958 H. COHEN 2,840,437

POCKET BOOK STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 4, 1954 IN V EN TOR;

HYAM COHEN BY EZE/f/EL LUOLF H/s HTTOfi/VEY United States Patent 2,840,437 V POCKET BOOK STRUCTURE Hyam Cohen, Rochester, N. Y.

Application October 4, 1954, Serial No. 460,207

Claims. (Cl. 312-,-319) The present invention relates to an improved pocketbook structure, and moreparticularly to a ladys handbag construction in which the lower'portion of the bag is provided with slidable trays.

It is well known that one of the major annoyances to users of hand bags is that it is very difficult to get at small objects, such as change, keys, or lip-stick in a hand bag, as these small items usually fall to the bottom of the bag beneath a number of other objects.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome this difficulty and also to provide a hand bag in which various small items may be stored neatly by providing a separate compartment in the lower portion of the hand bag in which the compartment is formed by two slidable trays which may be opened by the user without the need of actually opening up the main portion of the bag.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a separate compartment which may be incorprated into a ladys hand bag construction with a minimum of difiiculty, in which the compartment is formed of two slidable trays of inexpensive construction with the trays spring tensioned in a normally closed position.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a ladys hand bag construction having at least one slidable tray which is normally spring tensioned in a closed position, but which may be simply locked in an open position for easy access to the contents of the tray. These and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical ladys hand bag containing the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross section of the compartment as positioned in the bottom of a ladys hand-bag with one tray opened and one closed.

Figure 3 is a cross section of the invention taken along the line 33 of Figure 2, and,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation of a modification of the invention.

In the present invention a separate compartment having two slidable trays at either end is manufactured as a separate unit and may be incorporated in the bottom of various styled ladies hand bags by suitable means. Thus as illustrated in the figures, the ladys hand bag 1, of any conventional style, but preferably having a rectangular base, is provided with a separate compartment section generally designated 2. In this compartment section there is provided a rectangular elongated shell 3, opened at either end and made preferably of a metal material. The outside of this rectangular shell 3 is secured to the walls 4 and bottom 5 of the ladys hand bag by cementing or other suitable means. If desired a lining may be placed over the shell 3. The open end 6 of this rectangular shell or casing 3 terminates at the end of the bag 1, preferably at a slight angle;

Positioned at either end within this casing 3 are trays generally designated 7 and 8. These trays are formed with side walls 9, end walls 10, and bottoms 11. The

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- trays which may be molded of a fairly rigid plastic material are also provided on their bottom 11 with pairs of runners 12. These runners extend from the outer end wall to a point short of the inner end wall 10 and the tray. The trays 7 and 8 fit loosely within thecasing 3, but are held in position from being unintentionally pulled out too far by downwardly extending tongues 16, I

punched from the upper wall of the casing 3'in positions near either end of the rectangular casing 3. Each tongue extends downwardly sufiiciently far enough to contact the inner end walls 10 of the trays when the trays are pulled out. They do not however project downwardly so far that, if desired, the trays 7 and 8 may not be intentionally removed. The two trays are connected one to another and are tensioned to normally remain in a closed position by a helical spring 17 of suitable strength. This spring 17 has ends 18 and 19 passing through openings 20 and 21 respectively in the end walls of the trays 8 and 7 respectively. Thus, when the operator desires to open one or both trays, she merely pulls the tray out by grasping the plate 14 until the runner 12 is extended entirely beyond the end of the bag. The runner is then allowed to slip downwardly until its angular end section 13 is positioned below the end 22 of the casing 3 where it will engage this end and hold the tray open against the inward tension of the spring 17. If desired a change container 23 may be provided on the inner wall of one or both of the trays.

In Figure 4 there is illustrated a modification in which there is provided in place of a runner 12, a pawl arrangement for holding open the container 24. In this arrangement a lever 27 pivoted at 28 to the side wall of the tray or container 24 is provided with a spring 29 with one end of the spring engaging the lever 27 near its upper end and the other'end of the spring 29 normally contacting the bottom 25 of the tray.

In the operation of this modification, the tray may be slid open until the lever arm is beyond the opening 30. The lever 27 will then be raised by the action of the spring 29 until its inner edge contacts the upper edge 26 of the pocket book. This will maintain the tray in an open position as the lever arm 27 has a limited arc of rotation about the pivot point 28, for the lower end of the lever arm 27 contacts and jams against the bottom 25 of the tray.

To close the tray of this modification, it is merely pulled further out and the lever arm 27 is forced downward until it clears the end wall 26. The container may then easily he slid inwardly to a closed position.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a hand-bag of the type described, a compartment comprising a rectangular open ended shell, a slidable tray positioned at each end of said shell, said trays formed with end walls and a bottom, a helical spring with means securing its ends, one each to the inner end walls of said trays whereby the trays are normally tensioned in a closed position within said shell, runners formed on the bottom of said trays extending longitudinally thereto and terminated short of the inner wall with the inner ends of the runners adapted to be engaged with the ends of the shell and lock the trays in an open position against the tension of the spring means.

2. In a hand bag structure of the type described in claim 1, said runners having their inner ends forming an acute angle with the bottom of said trays.

3. In a hand-bag of the type described, a compartment Patented June 24, 1 958 comprisinga rectangular open ended shell, a slidable tray positioned ateachend ofsaid shell, said trays having end walls and a bottom with plates forming the outer end walls extending beyond the edges of the shell, a helical spring with means: securing its ends one on each to the inner end walls of said trays, whereby the trays are nor mally tensioned in a closed position within the shell, and means forlocking said trays in an. open position against the tension of said spring means. a

4. A device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means for locking said trays'comprise lever arms, means pivotally securing said lever arms was limited arc ,of rotation to said side walls, and leaf springs 'adaptedto tension said lever arms inan upright position, whereby when the trays are opened, the: lever arms will engage the edges .of said shell and lock, the traysin an open position against the tension of said helical spring,

5. In, ahand-bag of the typedescribed, a compartment comprising arectangular open ended shell, a pair of slidable trays positioned at either end, of said shell, said trays having end walls and a bottom with plates formed over the outer end walls extending beyond the edges of the shell thereby providing means limiting the inward move ment of said trays, a helical spring with means securing its ends one on each to the inner end walls of said trays, whereby the trays are normally tensioned in a closed position within the shell, tongues extending downwardly from the upper wall of the shell adapted to engage the inner wall of said trays, and, means for locking said trays in an open position against the tension of said spring means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 470,728 Weiss Mar. 15, 1892 1,028,767 Mooney June 4, 1912 1,241,093 Collings Sept. 25, 1917 1,804,163 Herold May 5, 1931 2,005,791 Kruse June 25, 1935 2,,463,993 Meyers Mar. 8, 1949 2,586,543 Kennedy Feb. 19, 1952 

